The strangest transfers in football history, including Bendtner's signing with Juve
Never underestimate football's ability to shock.
Over the years we have witnessed some strange transfers. Players trading their glamor days for a runout at Barnet, for example, and more.
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Jesse Lingard struggled to find a Premier League club that suited his ambitions and ended up at FC Seoul this year.
In 2021, Dani Alves returned to Barcelona at the age of 38 and is reportedly only paid ONE EURO per month.
And who can forget that same year when Andy Carroll emerged from the wilderness to sign for Reading on a two-month contract.
Here are some of the weirdest transfers we've ever come across.
JESSE LINGARD
Lingard's spell at Nottingham Forest came to an end in the summer of 2023.
He trained with West Ham, with whom he previously enjoyed a loan spell, after leaving the City Ground but then decided to Join Al-Ettifaq, a club from the Saudi Pro League.
However, he couldn't sign a contract with them because they had a limit on foreign players in the Saudi League.
The former Man Utd ace was then linked to a move to Everton and reportedly offered himself to Barcelona but neither movement materialized.
Instead, he signed a two-year contract with FC Seoul, reportedly worth £17,500 per week.
It is claimed that he turned down 26 clubs to sign for the South Korean team.
NICKLAS BENDTNER
On the last day of the transfer window in August 2012, Juventus were short of a striker.
But even Arsenal fans, who had grown tired of Nicklas Bendtner's antics off the pitch, were shocked that the Italian giants went for their Danish striker.
Especially since the previous season, he had not managed to fell trees at Sunderland.
That didn't stop Juve from gambling on the striker, but injury problems limited him to just 11 appearances – and he failed to score.
It is not surprising that the Serie A team has not taken an option to buy him permanently.
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BOJAN KRKIC
The former Barcelona man was the embodiment of the question; can he do it on a rainy Tuesday night in Stoke?
The simple answer was no, despite Bojan having the advantage of also playing for the home team.
Mark Hughes completed the surprise deal for the man dubbed the next Messi in 2014 for just £1.8million.
“Anyone who knows European football will know him as a player and the fact that he sees his future at Stoke City is really exciting,” Hughes beamed at the time.
16 goals in 85 games later, he was sold to MLS side Montreal Impact in 2019.
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STEVEN CAULKER
Although it was only a loan move, Jurgen Klopp's signing of Caulker from QPR to Liverpool during a January transfer window in 2016 was not something anyone would have seen coming.
The former English top defender, a central defender who came through the ranks of Tottenham, managed to play four games for the red team.
What was even more incredible was that he was asked to play up front.
Unfortunately, his Liverpool was cut short before a deal could be completed, when Caulker was admitted to rehab as addictions to alcohol and gambling threatened his career.
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TEVEZ AND MASCHERANO
Probably one of the most daring double signings in Premier League history.
No wonder West Ham boss Alan Pardew had a smile like a Cheshire cat at the unveiling in 2006.
The Argentine duo were plucked from Corinthians and stayed with the Hammers for just a season, with Tevez joining Manchester United and Mascherano signing for Liverpool.
Tevez would write his name into the history books by scoring the goal that secured the club's Premier League safety in a 1-0 win over Man Utd.
Later, Pardew revealed that he only asked his CEO to buy James Milner and that his Christmas came early.
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LUTHER BLISSETT
Blissett, who Luther cruelly dubbed 'Miss it' by away fans, is a Watford legend and their all-time top scorer.
After winning the First Division Golden Boot in 1983, AC Milan paid £1 million to bring him to Italy.
But Blissett struggled to establish himself in Italy, scoring just five times in 30 appearances for the club.
His dietary requirements were also not met.
“No matter how much money you have here, you can't seem to get Rice Krispies,” he said.
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EDGAR DAVIDS
One of the best midfielders of his generation, it was a shock to see Edgar Davids end up at Barnet.
After all, it was a former Dutch international who had won the Champions League with Ajax and played for AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and Barcelona in a star-studded career.
Yet in 2012, still living in north London after spells at Spurs and then Crystal Palace, he became player manager of League Two Barnet.
However, he struggled to maintain his discipline on the field. He was sent off three times in his first eight games of the 2013/2014 season and was booked in all of those matches.
His bizarre career as a manager took a new turn when he decided to wear the number 1 shirt normally worn by goalkeepers, insisting he was setting a trend for midfielders to wear that number. He resigned in 2014.
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FERNANDO HIERRO, YOURI DJORKAEFF AND JAY-JAY OKOCHA
There was no doubt that Sam Allardyce had big plans for Bolton Wanderers.
Despite being in their final years, Real Madrid legend Fernando Hierro, French World Cup winner Youri Djorkaeff and the remarkably gifted Jay-Jay Okocha all played for the club at the same time between 2002 and 2005.
Okocha joined on a free transfer from PSG and quickly became a fan favourite.
Djorkaeff scored an impressive 21 goals from 87 games from midfield, initially fending off interest from Manchester United and Liverpool in joining the Trotters for three years.
While Hierro ended his illustrious career playing for Wanderers at the age of 37, launching long balls from the back.
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ROBERTO MANCINI
Mancini enjoyed a stellar career at Sampdoria, helping the club win Serie A, four Coppa Italia titles and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Three years followed at Lazio, but no one could have foreseen what would happen next.
Mancini was loaned to Peter Taylor's Leicester City and made his debut against Arsenal in 2001 at the age of 36.
However, he failed to complete 90 minutes in his five appearances for the club.
His contract was terminated in February when Mancini decided he wanted to manage Fiorentina.
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PHILIPPE COUTINHO
The Villans shocked everyone when they announced the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona in 2022.
The third most expensive player of all time uprooted his life in Spain to join former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard in the Midlands.
And he made an immediate impression on his debut as he came off the bench against Manchester United to score a late equalizer in a thrilling 2-2 draw.
However, over time he looked like a shadow of his former self and when Unai Emery came to the club he was frozen out of the first team.
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